Spring lock-seal.



PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

J. G. DAVIS.

I SPRING LOOK SEAL.

APPLIGA'IION FILED MAY 31, 1906.

TOM

[NI/ENTOR A TTORNE Y5 THE NORRIS PETERS c0. wAsHmoroN. n. c,

JOHN CLAYTON DAVIS, OF HASTINGS, MICHIGAN.

SPRING LOCK-SEAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1907.

Application filed May 31, 1906. Serial No. 319,625.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN CLAYTON DAVIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hastings, in the county of Barryand State of Michigan, haveinvented a new and useful Spring Lock-Seal, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to devices for sealing cars, trunks,mail-pouches, and other mail-containing receptacles, and has for 1tsobject to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive device of thischaracter by means of which any attempt to open the receptacle by anunauthorized person may be readily detected.

A further object of the invention is to provide a seal in the form of astrap or ribbon adapted to be threaded through the hasp or similarfastening device on the receptacle and provided with interlocking ends.

A further object is to form one end of the strap or ribbon with alateral enlargement adapted to engage a similar enlargement on thespring locking member, whereby when the enlargements are crimped orotherw1se secured together they form a casing or housing for theinterlocked ends of the strap.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring locking-tongueadapted to enter a recess in the adjacent end of the strap, and,further, to provide a yieldable auxiliary locking member adapted toengage the tongue for preventing the withdrawal of the perforated end ofthe strap.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterfully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, itbeingunder stood that various changes in form, proportions, and minor detailsof construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure is a perpective view of a seal constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 1s a longitudinal sectional view of the same, showingthe perforated end of the strap partially insei ted in the housing. Fig.3 is a similar view showing the ends of the strap interlocked. Fig. 4 isa transverse sectlonal view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 ]S atop plan view of Fig. 2 with a portion of a housing or casing removed toexpose the spring looking- I l l tongues. Fig. 6 is a perspective viewillustrating a modified form of the invention. Fig. 7 is a longitudinalsectional view of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the sealillustrated in Fig. 6 in locked position.

Similar numeras of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of thefigures of the drawings.

The improved device comprises a strap or ribbon 5, rormed of metal orother suitable material and having its opposite longitudinal edges atone end thereoI bent downwardly at 6 and thence laterally at 7 to formthe upper wall of a casing or housing 8 for the reception of the lockingdevice. The locking device is preferably stamped from a single piece ofmaterial bent to form a pair of spaced parallel arms 9 and 10, the lowerarm 10 being bent upon itself, as indcated at 11, and thence extendedbelow and in parallel relation with the arm 10 to form a plate 12, thetransverse and longitudinal edges of which are bent upwardly intoengagement with the flange 7, and serves to secure the locking devicewithin the housing 8 and prevent accidental displacement of the same.

The plate or extension 12 forms the lower wall of the housing 8, whilethe adjacent end of the strap forms the upper wall of the housing, therebeing a vertical wall or oflset 12 formed in the strap at the open endof the housing, thus completely inclosing the looking device andeffectually preventing an unauthorized person from introducing a nail orsimilar tool in an attempt to open the seal.

The lower arm 10 of the locking member is formed with up-struck lockingtongues 13 and 14, the bills of which extend in the path of movement ofthe adjacent end of the ribbon or strap and are adapted to enterrecesses 15 and 16, formed therein. The recessed end of the strap 5 isformed with a longitudinal depression 17, defining a rib or projection18, which intersects the openings 15 and 16 and is adapted to engage anddepress the locking-tongues 13 and 14 when the free end of the strap isintroduced within the housing. Formed in the upper arm 9 of the lockingmember is a yieldable auxiliary looking member, preferably in the formof a spring-tongue 19, which normally extends above and is disposed inspaced relation to the bill of the tongue 13, as best shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings, said auxiliary locking member being adapted to engage thelower face of the bill 13 when the parts are in locked position, asillustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

in operation the perforated end of the strap 5 is threaded through thehasp or similar fastening device on the car, trunk, mailpouch, or otherreceptacle and then inserted in the casing or housing. As the perforatedend of the strap is moved longitudinally of the housing the rib 18engages and depresses the bills of the tongues 13 and 14, so as to perlnit the strap to move longitudinally until the openings 15 and 16register with said tongues, when the latter will enter the openings, andthus automatically lock the free end of the strap. A rearward pull isthen exerted on the perforated end of the strap, which causes the tongue13 to engage and elevate the auxiliary locking device 19,and thus permitthe bill of the tongue 13 to clear the adjacent end of the lockingmember 19, and in which position the tongue 13 will overlap the adjacentend of the tongue 19, as best shown in Fig. 3, and thus lock the severalparts together and effectually prevent the withdrawal of the perforatedend of the strap.

In Figs. 6 and 8, inclusive, there is illus trated a modified form ofthe invention in which one of the spring-tongues is dispensed with, thefree end of the strap or ribbon be ing formed with a single opening 20,adapted to engage the tongue 21, the parts being otherwise the same asillustrated in Fig. 1. If desired, however, the housing instead of beingformed integral with the strap may be made separate and riveted,soldered, or otherwise rigidly secured to said strap, and the lockingmember may be also formed integral with one end of the strap, in whichevent a separate housing may be employed for pro tecting the lockingmechanism.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A sealcomprising a strap, a locking device carried by one end of the strap andprovided with main and auxiliary locking members adapted to engage theopposite end of the strap, and a sectional housing inclosing theinterlocked ends of the strap, one section of the housing being integralwith the locking device and an opposite section integral with the strap.

2. A seal comprising a strap having one end thereof provided with spacedlocking-recesses, a locking device carried by the opposite end of thestrap and provided with main and auxiliary locking members adapted toengage the recesses, and a housing inclosing the locking device, onewall of the housing being integral with the strap and the other integralwith the locking device.

3. A seal comprising a strap having one end thereof provided with spacedrecesses and having a longitudinal rib intersecting said recesses, and alocking device carried by the opposite end of the strap and providedwith spring locking-tongues adapted to be depressed and enter therecesses by engagement with the longitudinal rib.

' 4.. A seal comprising a strap having one end thereof provided withspaced locking-recesses, spaced lockingtongues carried by the oppositeend of the strap and adapted to engage the recesses in the strap, and ayieldable auxiliary locking member adapted to engage one of the tonguesfor preventing accidental withdrawal of the strap from the lockingmember. 1

5. A seal com rising a strap having one end thereof provided withlocking-recesses, a sectional housing one section of which is formedintegral with the opposite end of the strap, a locking-tongue formedintegral with the adjacent section of the housing, and a yieldablelocking member disposed above the tongue and adapted to engage and locksaid tongue when the strap is partially withdrawn from the housing.

6. A seal comprising a strap having one end thereof provided with spacedrecesses. a housing carried by the opposite end of the strap, aplurality of springtongues extending laterally from the housing andadapted to enter the recesses in the adjacent end of the strap, and ayieldable locking member adapted to engage one of the tongues forpreventing withdrawal of the strap from the housing, there being avertical wall formed in the strap at the open end of said housing andforming a partial closure for the latter.

7. A seal comprising a strap having one end thereof bent to form onewall of a housing, a locking member seated in said housing and adaptedto engage the opposite end of the strap, and a plate carried by thelocking member and forming the opposite wall of said housing.

8. A seal comprising a strap having one end thereof bent to form onewall of a housing and its opposite end formed with a locking-recess, alocking member forming the opposite wall of the housing and providedwith a spring-tongue adapted to engage a recess in the adjacent end ofthe strap, and an auxiliary locking-tongue disposed above the adjacentend of the tongue and adapted to engage the latter when the perforatedend of the strap is partially withdrawn from the housing.

9. A seal comprising a strap havin one end thereof bent to form one wallof 51%10118- ing, a locking member seated within the housing and adaptedto engage the opposite end of the strap, said locking member beingprovided with an extension bent upon itself and extended in parallelrelation with the locking member to form the opposite wall of saidhousing.

10. A seal comprising a strap having one end thereof bent downwardly andlaterally to form one wall of a housing, and its oppogage the recesstherein.

site end provided with a locking-recess, a In testimony that I claim theforegoing as looking member seated within the housing my own I havehereto affiXed my signature in and having one end thereof bent uponitself the presence of two Witnesses.

and provided with a marginal bead for enforated end of the strap andadapted to engagement with the adjacent wall of the hous- JOHN CLAYTONDAVIS ing, and a spring-tongue forming a part of WVitnesses: the lockingmember and having its bill dis- ROBERT R. DAWSON,

IO posed in the path of movement of the per- A. F. NORRIS.

